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Armor
Clothing and armor While weapons are important, the right protection can be just as much so. When your undead foes close the gap and make your high-powered rifle impractical to use, or when they get the jump on you, you will be thanking your lucky stars you brought along the right armor to protect from infection-spreading bites and scratches. This page will tell you everything you need to know about what to wear - and what not to wear. Of course, you can use common sense and these simple general guidelines: Does it cover all of the skin it can? Is it durable? Is it useful in the area I'm in?( Like using snow pants in the Sahara) Is it baggy, loose, or heavy? Can I carry things in it reasonably well? If it's a kind of armor, will it stop bites, knives, blunt instruments, etc. without compromising movement? If it's a suit that uses energy, how easily can I get power for it? Does it obstruct my movements or my senses? Common civilian clothing It's likely that, when Z-Day comes, most people won't have access to anything resembling tactical military gear. All they have is what's in their closets. Therefore, it's important to go over what clothing will be good to wear in a zombie apocalypse. Shirts Thin shirts, be they cheap T-shirts from a Chinese sweatshop or hand-woven woolen sweaters, provide almost no protection from bite wounds. Zombie teeth can easily tear through the fabric holding them together. Therefore, the type of shirt you should pick out depends on what your local climate is like. If you live in a colder area, long sleeves are a must, and if it gets particularly cold, wear layers. Warmer areas, meanwhile, call for short-sleeve shirts and tank tops. Either way, make sure your shirt, like all your clothing, is nice and snug - a zombie will have an easier time grabbing hold of loose clothing. If you are a woman, however, don't wear anything too revealing - this might invite trouble from bandits. Jackets Your jacket will be your real upper-body protection. The two best choices available to most people are jackets made of leather or canvas, as both materials are fairly resistant against zombie bites. What you choose depends on the climate. If you live in a cool, wet area, or if you're riding a motorcycle, go with leather, as it more easily resists the rain and the effects of road rash. Warmer, drier areas call for canvas, due to the fact that it breathes more easily than leather. If you live in a particularly cold area, you might want to keep a ski jacket handy. The thick lining can easily stop a zombie from biting your arm off, and it will keep you warm during the tough winter months. Either way, it's important to make sure that what you're wearing is thick enough to resist zombie bites. If the jacket in question is from the boutique or the mall, or if it has a "Made in China" tag on it (a rule that applies to everything, not just clothing), then chances are it's meant primarily as a fashion item, as opposed to something that will protect the wearer. Outdoors stores, military surplus stores, and other such places sell high-quality leather and canvas, so look there. Trench coats It's been argued as to whether or not a trench coat provides suitable zombie protection. Supporters point to the fact that items can be carried within the coat, and that it protects the wearer from getting wet when sitting down. Its detractors point out that a zombie can grab hold of the loose bottom part of the coat. Take both arguments as you will. If you do use a trench coat, however, make sure it's made from a tough canvas, and is not a "fashion" trench coat made from soft leather or similar materials. Also, make sure to keep the coat tightly closed so that a Zombie will have a harder time grabbing it (this applies to all long jackets, by the way). Pants Long pants are a must - shorts expose too much leg to a zombie bite. Again, make sure they're snug. Out of the more common types of leggings, the most ideal would be a simple pair of blue jeans. These pants were invented for mining work, and are the best at stopping a zombie bite, though they are heavy and absorb and retain water easily, due to their cotton construction. They also offer little useful heat retention and expulsion. Cargo pants are also a good option. Although the pockets can be grabbed by a zombie, they can also hold valuable items. As with jackets, make sure you're getting a rugged pair of pants, and not a pair that's meant to make the wearer look good. Nothing with holes in it. Also, make sure your pants fit tightly, to prevent the likelihood of a zombie grabbing them. The best pairs snug the legs, but are not skin-tight. For fantastic protection, put these on in this order: 1. Very long underwear. Make sure they reach to, the very least, the knee. Remove if in warm weather, you will waste body water supplies through needless sweating. 2. Very rugged jeans or better, military tactical pants. 3. Padded football pants. With these, you may be a little warm, but you will be protected. It may not protect from too many bites, so don't put these on and think your invincible. Skirts Long skirts inhibit movement, while shorter skirts leave too much leg exposed for a bite (and may invite some unwanted attention). Try to avoid these. Footwear You'll be doing a lot of walking through rough terrain during the zombie apocalypse, so it's important to pick out some footwear that can stand up to it. The best footwear solution would be a nice pair of boots. It doesn't matter if they're work boots, hiking boots, or Doc Martens, as long as they're nice and tough. Another great choice of boot is steel toe boots. They may weigh you down a little, but could be used as a fantastic last resort weapon. If you don't have a pair of boots lying around, then sneakers may make for a good short-term solution. Leave the loafers and dress shoes at home - they'll fall apart in no time. Gloves It's important to keep your hands protected from both the elements and from bites. Therefore, it would be a smart idea to pick out a pair of gloves that offer quality protection, while still allowing you to move your fingers. Work gloves do this job nicely, although some other types of gloves can do the trick. Just remember that your gloves have to completely cover your hands. Fingerless gloves may look cool now, but not when you're missing three fingers. Also, there is a cool type of weighted glove thats filled with lead pellets. They're a little cumbersome, but they pack a wallop when you punch. A few blows to the face will make them swallow their own forehead. Jewelry Take it off. All it does is present something for a zombie to grab or a vain bandit to rob you for. If it's something that you can't part with (like a locket with a picture of a loved one, or a religious item), then keep it in your pocket or under your shirt. The only exception is watches - it's important to keep track of time, for both tactical purposes and to keep from going insane. Even then, make sure it's something tough, like a G-Shock or a Rolex, rather than something you bought for ten bucks at the mall. Another great choice is a waterproof watch, just in case you have to swim. Hats and helmets Keep your head covered with something. In warm weather, it will keep you cool by allowing sweat to build up under there (the principle behind turbans), while in cold weather, it will keep you warm by stopping heat loss (remember that most body heat leaves through your head). Your choice of protection depends on what you're looking for. A brimmed hat (like a baseball cap, a cowboy hat, or a fedora) will help keep the sun out of your eyes, while a bicycle or motorcycle helmet will protect your head if something falls on it. Another good choice is a paint ball mask to protect against blood splatter from a melee weapon. It is also advisable to have access to medical safety masks and safety goggles, to protect from blood splatter, as well as any other potentially harmful chemical or biological hazards one might come across. Preferably, make sure your headgear covers your entire head, while protecting but not inhibiting your nose, eyes, ears and mouth. The eyes and the ears, as the tools of your two main senses, will be especially important. Discount anything that screws with these. Belts Always have one with you. You can use it as a tourniquet to stop bleeding, for tying down baggy clothing, for holding your gun, and most importantly, for holding your pants up. Make sure it isn't a designer belt, try to get a solid leather, synthetic, tough fiber, or canvas belt. Studs may help, but make sure they aren't able to catch on things easily. Don't have gaudy belt buckles, but a good heavy metal one(the style that most belts come it, just a simple hollow rectangle) will be excellent. In a pinch, these can also be used as makeshift flails or whips, but remember that those are difficult to wield, so it's best to use it as a slapping weapon, folded once, against bandits or human hostiles. Jock Strap Just in case. = Police and military equipment = The following covers the types of protection available to police and military forces. If you want access to this equipment, you may have to seek it out before Z-Day, as it will be nearly impossible to find when the zombie apocalypse is in full swing. Bulletproof vests Bulletproof Vests are used primarily by police and military agencies and usually consist of a kevlar weave with a metal or ceramic plate called a "trauma plate" to protect vital organs in the center. Against a zombie, who is too stupid to wield a firearm, it's not very effective. Most vests only cover the chest area, as most trained shooters aim for center mass. Most zombies however will typically aim for everything BUT the chest, such as arms, legs and the head. If you're fighting against Bandits or--as unlikely as it may be--armed zombies, remember that your bullet-proof vest is only going to protect you against one or two shots. And when a bullet hits you it will still cause trauma which could range from bruises and welts to broken ribs. Most bulletproof vests are also ineffective against high-caliber rounds or stabbing weapons. MOLLE vests and Plate Carriers MOLLE vests and Plate Carriers are standard issue for any US soldier. They come in many forms and in many different camoflage patterns. Plate Carriers are not only good protection from zombies, but also serve an additional purpose, as they are modular and can be adapted for many different purposes. An ideal Plate Carrier would have atleast 4 dual mag pouches for AR15/AKM magazines as well as 2 dual mag pouches for SMG/Pistol Mags. Other good pouches would be a 2-way radio pouch as well as a Med Kit pouch. Other pouches can be added to store Misc. items that survivors may find usefull. As for protection, the most plate carriers protect the center mass of a person and some also have a groin cover which protects the genitalia, and shoulder flaps as well as a thick polymer neck collar that protects the neck from zombies scratching or biting that area. To protect against the blunt force trauma that larger rounds produce on impact, inserts for Ceramic or Fiberglass tiles are built in; these tiles are designed to take most of the trauma and even add more ballistic resistance considering that a solid surface is more likely to survive impact then a soft flexible surface. When combined with a Police or Military PASGT helmet, a thick Battle Dress Uniform, Knee and elbow protection, as well as holsters and other Molle accessories, the survivor is not only ready for zombies, but for those pesky raiders and hostile survivors. The major downside of this military gear is that it is really hard to find. Usually only military personel have access to this kind of gear. If a group of survivors were to take refuge in a military installation, then this gear might be accessable to them. Powered Armor Powered Armor, also known as a Combat Exoskeleton is a dream come true for G.I Joe. The Powered Armor consists of a robotic frame or suit that the soldier enters and manipulates from the inside, using pneumatic or hydraulic power to manipulate the limbs of the frame/suit. Aside from offering the additional armor that the metal frame of the suit provides, it also gives the user increased physical strength and endurance. This will help as the zombie apocalyspe will bring food shortages along with it and a more competative life style as once civilized people will likely go at each other like cats in a box. most importanly they increse Endurance, Durability, Speed, and Strength. Power Armor is a advanced technology somewhere before Laser weapons. They are effectivly a descendant of platemail suits much like those that knights wore into battle but made of heavier materials made easier to lift by many complex machines in the suit. A soldier wearing a Combat Exoskeleton can increase his load bearing capacity by two to three times and can lift two to three times his own weight. You could literally punch through a human being or two zombies with this amount of strength. Pros and Cons However, powered armor is not without it's major flaws. The powered armor may have a limited amount of power, connected to a battery, or must be tethered to an external power source (a vehicle or a generator). However, built in rechargeable energy sources are a posibility. Another issue is that if the power lines are severed--or the hydraulic or pneumatic actuators that power motion are damaged--the suit not only becomes useless, but the wearer might become trapped. However, the biggest issue is that a mass-produced, reliable in-the-field version of this technology will not be available until 2012-2015, at least. The only other problem is if you are somehow in powered armor while being infected as no thing could stop you except a well placed sniper round or grenade to the head. These Flaws however have a less than .001 chance of happening seeing as powered armor will be for military use and thus would have had to pass rigorous tests (which would have to simulate battle most likely in front of a veteran) to even get sold as no country in they're right mind would pay thousands or for a battle armor that could be destroyed by a the bare hands and teeth of a person, especially if it's only merit is the fact that it looks cool. It's meant to take on bullets and rockets an thus most likely will have a internal power source and a nearly indestructable outer shell and very little chance that a bare handed human would be able to harm you even if they are a raving mad zombie in other words any thing short of being ran over by a steam roller or a few lightning bolts wont stop you. There is also the possibility of solar recharging. even something as simple as hot wiring a mass of calculators to the suit's battery on a sunny day or possibly battery with solar panels built in (it would only take two one charges while your out and the one your using drains slower due to light exposeur. Current Production Currently there are no complete power armors on the market. But, the two main components can be bought separatly and put together with a little improvision. Powered Exoskeleton this is the inner core of the armor it will move every thing. there are at least 5-6 different ones out there but these are the closest to mass production. In the year 2010 The US goverment has already funded attempt at powered armor. this attempt made by Sarcos and Raytheon however are clumsy at best. the XOS consists of a pair of arms and legs, though the arms drain too much power from a already limited power source leaving the legs, which require a special back attachment so you can utilize it's weight lifting abilities without hurting your self. The american exoskeletons have no practical power source original thoughts were to have it make use of many things like Car engines, battery packs, but it currently cant work unless plugged in to a wall and lifts 200lb which must be located on the back attachment. If the apocalyspe did break out there is only 1 technically 1/2 and it's located somewhere in the USA, have fun finding it. In Japan a power armor was made known as the HAL 5 (Hybrid Assisted Limb 5th generation)lacks many of the flaws of it's american "cousin". firstly it works off of a 100 volt battery for a yet unlisted amount of time. as opposed to the american exoskeleton it also posses a complete body overlap as it cover and moves with all 4 limbs and even senses your movement through weak electrical impulses before you make them so as to help you walk, as it was made to help paraplegics move. To show it's capabilities the makes allowed a man who could not walk to use it to clibe a mountain, he almost completed this task. this would help in cases where you need to do something like jumping off a building from a pack of raving super zombies or a really big crowd of normal ones. If hypothetically a zombie apocalyspe were to break ot it would be very easy to find, In japan, in hospitals as it's production is supossedly in full swing with about 500 models coming out yearly since 2008. Full Body Armor So you've got your cool exoskeleton on and that's it just some outerlining around you unnprotected body, Thats where full body armor comes in or rather over. since as stated there are no true power armors out there one could, and must attach armor to a powered exoskeleton to make one. whene it comes down to it a kevlar vest just won't do and covering it in pots and pans will earn you the attention of zombies and bandits alike so it's best to go with full body armor. In essence full body armor is simply High grade anti bullet and possibly knife armor that must cover the major areas of the body, basically, Head, shoulder, Arms, Cheast, Legs, Thighs and possibly hands and feet. this will be usefuly mostly due to it essentialy be coming a form fitting light weight shell that will be impenetrable to human natural weapons like nails and teeth. His S Type however a improvement by far and fit to individual need. it covers 95% of the body leaving only some of the back of the knee and elbow exsposed, no bear mace or groin compass however. It has two built in combat knife sheaths however and has the highest military grade bullet proofing I.e. it can stop a close range shotgun blast all the while being light weight and form fitting and able to with stand a mine explosion. this helps with group identification as it wouldnt be hard to spray paint a symbol on to it. it also means you can't get bit anywhere but the back of the knee. this essentially means that you can go toe to toe with zombies as you would anyone else with the strength, speed, agility, and thought processes of a 87 year old man with dementia. The closest thing the US military comes to that is a Heavier verson of kevlar which covers the front of your body in a turtle/football pad like armor. wich stands out (Trust me) and makes the wearer work especially hard to run, and walk, and well breathe too and leaves the all important neck all too exsposed while strangely permitting vision of the wearers feet and appearantly only feet. basically you walk down 1st street in this your a target, and even worst you don't realize it. Troy Hurtubise of Canada has developed full body armor. His Trojan T Type FBA (full body armor) covered 90% percent of the human body, came with a suped up bear mace sprayer as the suit came from a Anti-Bear armor project that was converted for military use, a groin mounted compass, helmet with solar powered cooling fans, and swat shield. It however failed to meet military grade and never made it to mass production. If apocalyspe came in the form of zombies and you tried finding this you'll be suprised. only one person has one and it's in florida somewhere. don't worry though, it's festival of gadgets is hardly useful appearantly if no military would touch it and will only get you eaten faster or even worst slower. His S Type however a improvement by far and fit to individual need. it covers 95% of the body leaving only some of the back of the knee and elbow exsposed, no bear mace or groin compass however. It has two built in combat knife sheaths however and has the highest military grade bullet proofing I.e. it can stop a close range shotgun blast all the while being light weight and form fitting and able to with stand a mine explosion. this helps with group identification as it wouldnt be hard to spray paint a symbol on to it. it also means you can't get bit anywhere but the back of the knee. this essentially means that you can go toe to toe with zombies as you would anyone else with the strength, speed, agility, and thought processes of a 87 year old man with dementia. Theoreticaly if someone with around ehh $150,000 laying wanted to combine their chosen exoskeleton with their chosen Full Body Armor and go all T-51b on a massive group of zombies and become a zombie killing machine they can, and whould be the only person in the nation mayhap, world with power armor. of course this is only before the apocalspe after that you're pretty much screwed. Future Changes In the case of a zombie apocalypse most large industrial buildings will be abandoned thus meaning they wont be mass produced, but under certain circumstances there is a possibility that they will be kept by military groups or rouge laconophilliac factions of the U.S.A.F. They may be made of hard composites like plastic and possible be power by some sort of rechargable battery which would eliminate a unstable or outside powersource. hydraulic and pneumatic parts which could be replaced by galvanized gear-esque parts making them light, quick, and durible. Riot gear The Riot Gear of most police and military agencies consists of heavy kevlar armor vests and coverings and helmets with clear highly durable visors. Riot Gear is arguably the best anti-zombie armor you can find. Unlike a simple vest, the kevlar covers the whole body and it's durable nature makes it difficult to bite through. The helmet is tough enough to withstand rocks and bottles and the visor makes it difficult for a Zombie to scratch at your face. However, the major disadvantages of riot gear are the extra weight and bulk, making it difficult to maneuver in tight quarters or to move rapidly. It is also somewhat uncommon to find, as they are usually either in police inventories or on the bodies of dead riot police, who are likely surrounded by or are a zombie. Ghillie Suit A ghillie suit, or yowie suit, is designed to resemble heavy foliage. Typically, it is a net or cloth garment covered in loose strips of cloth or twine, sometimes made to look like leaves and twigs, and optionally augmented with scraps of foliage from the area. Snipers and hunters may wear a ghillie suit to blend into their surroundings and conceal themselves from enemies or targets. The suit gives the wearer's outline a three-dimensional breakup, rather than a linear one. When manufactured correctly, the suit will move in the wind in the same way as surrounding foliage. A good thing to have, along with a scent supressent, if you have to travel in the woods. If you're entering a building or an urban area, forget it though. The long strips of whatever hanging off will serve as handholds for the undead, and things to rustle, make noise, and catch on things. Use these only when sniping in a wilderness. They also will not be made of incredibly durable fabric. Other clothing and armor These types of protection are not used by modern police and military forces, but they are fairly uncommon for civilians to come across. Like with the police and military gear, you may have to obtain this stuff before Z-Day. Motorcycle Gear Most high-speed motorcycles require their wearer to wear full-body jumpsuit-like outfits made of leather or synthetic materials and a thick protective helmet with visor. The main advantages of such an outfit are the fact that the suit is close to the skin, allowing the user to remain speedy, while offering moderate protection against Zombie bites. The helmet is thick enough to resist impacts at 60 MPH, and thus is quite suitable for resisting the teeth of angry Zombie. However, while it's closeness to the skin allows it's wearer to be more mobile, it also does not allow heat to easily escape the body. This can cause quick exhaustion and dehydration. The helmet only adds to these issues and also restricts the field of vision of the wearer. Chainmail Chainmail consists of iron or steel links connected to form a protective suit-like covering. Originally designed to protect the wearer from arrow strikes and sword blows, this form of armor lost favor with the advent of the firearm but is still used today to protect wearers against power-tools and wild animals. Chainmail is extremely effective against Zombies, as most can not chew through the tough metal links that cover the skin and it is difficult for them to tear open or off. Most chainmail, while somewhat heavy, is lighter than either riot gear or plate-mail armor. However, there are detractions. If the links are loose, it will not only make noise but may also be easier for a ghoul to grab onto. And few people are capable of making high-quality armor today. Chainmail gloves can sometimes be found in hardware stores, and some aquatic recreation stores may sell "shark-proof" full-body chainmail SCUBA suits. A great place to find a suit of it is in a butchery, where they're required to wear this in case the knife slips. Plate armour Arguably, plate-mail armor is the worst possible decision as far as anti-Zombie armor. Full body plate-mail armor was designed originally for European knights and other elite soldiers and was capable of resisting heavy sword blows and arrow strikes. However ,with the advent of heavy swords and armor-piercing arrows these suits fell out of favor and were partially or fully replaced with chain mail, though the partial wearing of plate mail was popular well into the age of the gun, such as the home-made plate-mail armor of 19th century Australian outlaw Ned Kelly. While the armor may protect against most forms of zombie-attack that is about its only positive quality. Most medieval-era plate-mail armor weighed between 50-80 pounds and, unless the wearer is extremely physically fit, they will likely be exhausted in mere minutes. The armor also makes a lot of noise, and this is an extreme liability against creatures guided by smell and sound. Its weight also makes it highly immobile. In order to move even to that degree the joints of the body must be largely unexposed, unless one is wearing additional full-body armor on underneath, leaving points where zombie can bite, scratch or even pry the armor off. Finally, it is extremely unlikely one will find high-quality plate-mail armor designed for combat, as most today are simply for decoration. Against Bandits it's equally useless, as any gunman with a high-powered rifle and a modicum of skill can pick off this slow-moving target nearly as easily as a Zombie. Pressurized Diving Suit Designed for repair work at extreme underwater depths, the pressurized diving suit is its own self-contained personal environment. With a large battery, lights, a temperature control gauge, an air filter, communications uplinks, and mechanical grasping claws, it is arugably the best type of personal protection from Zombie while underwater. The outer casing is designed to withstand the crushing pressure on the ocean depths, which means no ghoul (or group of zombies) will ever have the strength to bite through it, and it's servo-powered claws are more than powerful enough to crush a zombie's skull like a grape! Unfortunately its bulkiness means that it's only practical to use underwater, and even then it's better to work with someone on the surface manning an attached tether line. Although they won't break in, several zombies will still be able to hold you down and render you unable to escape on your own, though the power supply will likely last long enough for someone on your team to come rescue you. You may want to get a close-range sonar upgrade, because once you crack the first few zombie's heads, the water will be far to clouded with brains and organic matter to see anything that isn't pressing right against your viewport. Home-Made Armor PVC Easy to make. Just get some PVC, about an inch thick, cut it and put some holes in it so you can attach it to yourself, and your set. Category:armour